Everything You Need to Know about the 2017 CME Group Tour Championship

Tony Jesselli has all the detail on the final event of the 2017 LPGA Tour, the CME Group Tour Championship at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida.

This week the LPGA returns to the United States with the playing of the CME Group Tour Championship. This is the final tournament on the 2017 LPGA schedule. Last year’s exciting finish saw Charley Hull and So Yeon Ryu tied for the lead with just two holes to play. Hull would birdie the 17th hole while Ryu bogeyed it, sending Hull home with a two-stroke victory and the championship trophy. Ariya Jutanugarn who finished tied for fourth hung on to win the one million dollar bonus.

Charley Hull won this Championship (and the $500,000 first place check) in 2016.

My strength of field rating is 68% (down from 73% last year). Forty of the top 50 players from the LPGA Priority List (not used for this event) and twenty-one of the top 25 players from the Rolex Rankings will be teeing it up. Unlike previous years, a number of top players who qualified for this event will not be teeing it up. Those players include Haru Nomura, Hyo Joo Kim, M.J. Hur, Chella Choi, Inbee Park (injury), Su Oh, and Laura Gonzalez Escallon.

Australian, Minjee Lee at the 2016 CME Group Tour Championship

There is a lot at stake this week besides the CME Trophy:

I million dollars will go to the winner of the Race to the CME Globe. Lexi Thompson currently leads (see below for current standings).

The Rolex Player of the Year is still up for grabs. So Yeon Ryu currently has the lead by a very narrow margin over Shanshan Feng, Sung Hyun Park, and Lexi Thompson. The winner receives a Hall of Fame point.

The Vare Trophy is about as tight as could be as Lexi Thompson has a very narrow lead over Sung Hyun Park.

It still remains a mystery as to who will finish the season as #1 in the Rolex World Rankings. Shanshan Feng (the current leader), Sung Hyun Park, So Yeon Ryu, and Lexi Thompson are all tightly bunched up and have mathematical chances of finishing on top.

Players most likely to win: (Top players in the field) 1- Shanshan Feng – Looking for a 3rd consecutive win to go along with the bonus 2- Sung Hyun Park – Looking to take back the #1 spot 3- So Yeon Ryu – Ditto

Players to watch out for: (I’m feeling it this week) 1- Lexi Thompson – A win will get her the bonus and the Vare Trophy 2- Brooke Henderson – A win gets her the million dollar bonus

Longshot picks: (Not likely, but not impossible) 1- Moriya Jutanugarn – Eventually she will have to finish one. Why not here? 2- Lizette Salas – She is playing the best golf of her career

In 2017 the LPGA has made the following changes to The Race to the CME Globe:

The top five (5) finishers entering Naples will control their own destiny at the CME Group Tour Championship, meaning if they win in Naples they will also win the $1M CME Globe.

The top twelve (12) finishers entering Naples will have a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe.

Previously the top 3 finishers controlled their own destiny, and the top 9 had a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe.

Other Information this Week The 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will be held at the Aronimink GC in suburban Philadelphia.

Rolex Rankings Movers of the Week: Shanshan Feng rises two spots to become the new #1 player in the world. Moriya Jutanugarn jumps up 4 more spots to #17, while Megan Khang jumps into my field rating by moving up from #102 to #96.

Ryan O’Toole at the 2016 CME Group Tour Championship

Race to the CME Globe: (1 million dollars) The points have been reset and here are the top 5 players that hold their fate in their own hands. Lexi Thompson = 5,000 points Sung Hyun Park = 4,750 Shanshan Feng = 4,500 So Yeon Ryu = 4,250 Brooke Henderson 4,000 The above five players will win the 1 million dollar bonus if they win the tournament.

Tony Jesselli is the author of the very popular blog TONY’S LPGA REPORT, which has been covering tour and player news since 2010. Every week Tony reports on the latest news and results from women’s professional golf around the world and previews upcoming tournaments with player news, the strength of field ratings, and TV times. It has earned the reputation as the ‘go-to’ resource for up to date and accurate news about the LPGA.